


Starcrossed Prophecies

by driftingstar, Lucidiux



Category: Merlin (TV), Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gen, Kings & Queens, M/M, Swords & Sorcery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-20
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-01-02 03:59:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1052269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/driftingstar/pseuds/driftingstar, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucidiux/pseuds/Lucidiux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In a land of myth and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of two cute boys." A rash decision by a young prince plunges him and his faithful companion into a reckless escapade from which there is no turning back. Prophecy emerges and adventure ensues. Merlin fusion. Starshipping.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

\--- I ---

  


At the king's proclamation, a hush fell over the great hall as the gathered open-mouthed nobles and servants could only trade stunned looks with each other. All eyes were glued to the prince who stood stock still before the throne.

 

Yusei felt as though he had been physically struck, something cold and hard had dropped to the bottom of his stomach. He risked raising his head a fraction from its bowed position and peered through his dark bangs in an attempt to decipher the prince's reaction, but from his vantage point, he could only make out the stiff lines of the prince's still shoulders.

 

"Well?" The king questioned, a disinterested brow arched over a steely blue eye. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

 

The brunette stood alone, as the entirety of their audience had lowered themselves to the ground out of respect for the royal family. He, on the other hand, simply averted his gaze to his toes in apparent dubiety.

 

Of course, when the prince had been summoned to the throne room he had expected news of the conventional sort. This was not the first time that the boy been pulled from his mandatory studies or from pre-military training to attend an official gathering within the confines of the castle.  But the purpose of this particular summons had eluded him.

 

“Fiancée…?” He muttered, glancing back toward the crowd of which surrounded them in a hushed silence, specifically the male who remained bowed behind him.

 

 “What’s a fiancée...?”

 

A different sort of silence now filled the chamber.

 

Kneeling along with the rest of the servants several paces behind the prince, Yusei had to physically stop his face from smacking against the floor. From within the safe confines of his mind, let out a soundless groan.  If he hadn’t been, shall we say, accustomed to the antics of the young prince, he doubted he would have been able to keep a straight face.

 

From the subtle twitch in the monarch’s eyebrow, it appeared he hadn’t had nearly the same level of exposure.  The man’s normally severe visage became slightly pinched but he pressed forward without the slightest hint of amusement.  “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” he said. With a flourish of his fur-lined cape which seemed to sway under an invisible wind, he pushed himself off the throne as a contingent of servants rushed forward to present him with his sceptre. Frowning, he waved them away and regarded the young prince superciliously before turning away.

 

“The wedding will be in two days.  I suggest you do something useful with your time until then,” he said as stalked towards the inner chambers. “Like open a dictionary.”

 

A baffled expression consumed the young royal’s features upon the king’s less than subtle clarification. Surely he was far too young to enter a courtship with such bureaucratic, indelible terms as one would associate with the act of marriage… then again, a royal was always given the expectation to wed at a youthful age.

 

Releasing a sound akin to a stutter and an unintelligible squeak of shock, the brunette shook his head vigorously, as though to clear any sort of blockage that may have distorted his hearing.

 

“W-Wait, _marriage_!?” The youth stuttered, practically choking on his own voice, “Who says I want to get _married_!? And to who!? I don’t think I even know any girls in the first place…” The teen averted his gaze in the midst of his musings, lower lip jutting out as he attempted to recall any women of the sort.

 

But the king had already disappeared behind the curtains.  The entire room waited with bated breath until they could no longer hear the footsteps.  Then the hall erupted in frenzied shouts and furious debating as the onlookers leapt to their feet and began shoving forward in an attempt to get a better view of the scene.

 

“ _The prince is to be engaged!_ ”

_“What could His Majesty be thinking?”_

_“Oh, my daughter will be so heart-broken!”_

_“He’s a bit of an odd lad, isn’t he? Uh, I mean that with the utmost respect, of course.”_

Unnoticed amongst the din, Yusei had quietly made his way through the crowd toward the shell-shocked prince and gently tugged at his elbow. 

 

“My prince,” he said, voice kept low as to not draw further attention, “I think we had better get going.”

 

Caught up within his inner musings, the hazel eyed youth had remained silent throughout rambunctious uproar and buzzing chatter echoing about the halls. Though, upon feeling a gentle grasp seize the dip of his elbow, the befuddled prince found himself turning toward a familiar, much welcomed face.

 

“Yusei!” The young prince’s expression immediately brightened upon sighting his long-time companion. Of course, ‘companion’ may not have been the proper term, considering both his own position in the royal household and the older male’s position as, well, more or less a mere serving boy.

 

Still… their friendship was a far stronger bond than that of any strained, political alliance. One should certainly hope so, given that their first encounter had resulted in the serving boy’s daring rescue of the young prince many years prior.

 

Yusei shook his head slightly in fond exasperation, lips curving into a nearly imperceptible smile in spite of the situation.  Realizing that they had an audience, and a gawking, gossiping one at that, he quickly pulled back to what was deemed to be an appropriate distance and inclined his head towards the side doors.  “We can talk someplace a bit… quieter,” he suggested.

 

Bright, russet eyes blinked for a delayed moment, before their owner shifted slightly in turn to face the chattering crowd of whom he had long since drowned out.  A sea of prying eyes seemed to latch upon his own, and though the he had usually done well in large crowds, considering the lad’s bombastic social tendencies, such a sight was indeed discomforting to say the least.

 

“Sure…!” The young prince beamed gingerly as he averted his own gaze back toward that of his manservant. Perhaps in favor of the myriad of ogling nobles of that seemed to inch closer and closer by the second.

 

Giving the nobles a curt bow, the servant led the way with brisk, purposeful strides, ignoring the trail of scandalized whispers that followed them. Once they had successfully escaped the confining hall, Yusei turned to his prince and waited.

 

“Some meeting, huh?” The youthful prince murmured, bouncing after his companion with enthusiasm. Though, the hesitant grin of which the brunet seemed to display betrayed the zealous posture the lad was able to maintain upon exiting the throne room.

 

“Marriage…” Yusei said slowly as if testing out the word, not quite liking how it rolled off his tongue.  “Has the king mentioned anything regarding this to you before?”

 

“You mean he didn’t tell you, either?” The brunet wondered aloud, throwing yet another glance behind his shoulder at the gaping doors of the throne room, from which echoed with the boisterous gossip so many noble men and women were widely known for.

 

“I mean… since everyone in there is acting the way they are, I guess father didn’t tell anyone else, either…” murmuring thoughtfully, the prince’s eyebrows creased as his gaze averted toward the stonework floor beneath their feet.

 

“I guess they’ll all be disappointed then, huh?”

 

The black-haired boy blinked at the words and shot his companion a questioning gaze.  “Disappointed?” he repeated.

 

“Well, I guess they would be since they’re expecting a marriage in two days, but there’s no way  I’m going. There can’t be a marriage if I don’t show up!” The brunet exclaimed in a tone one may associate with a mixture of both satisfaction and a sort of implied finality as his footsteps began to proceed once more down the hollow halls ahead.

 

For several seconds, Yusei did not move, rooted to the spot as he started at the prince’s retreating figure.  The meaning of the words slowly sank in.   _There can’t be a marriage… if… he doesn’t…?_  Cobalt eyes widened in shock and he hurried to catch up.  “My prince… What are you saying?” he asked with certain premonition of dread.

 

“I’m not going.” The younger of the pair answered simply, crossing his arms above his upper torso with a soundless huff as a childish pout befell the prince’s youthful features.

 

Despite the youth's adamant display of defiance, however, cumbersome footsteps had soon begun to cease as the prince had come to a gradual stopping point, now turning to face his companion with a playful roll of the eyes.

 

"And haven't I told you to stop calling me ' _My Prince_ '? I told you, if we're really friends we should be able to call each other by our names, silly!" The brunet provided a comical grin as a finger raised to poke the raven haired male upon the nose multiple times.

 

"It's Ju~," The younger paused to once again tap his finger against the servant’s nose, "dai~."

 

The servant was thankful for his darker commoner’s tan when he felt his cheeks heat up; if his skin was any lighter he would have been glowing redder than hot coals. He ducked his head, half out of embarrassment and half in an attempt to stop the playful harassment.  “Prince Judai,” he conceded, casting about for the right words before settling with, “… I don’t imagine His Majesty would be too happy about it. If you didn’t show up.”

 

Releasing a silent breath of air through his nostrils, the brunet shifted slightly as he began to resume his trek down the empty, castle corridors; surely abandoned due to the current gathering within the throne room.

 

“It doesn’t matter if he is or not. I’m the one getting married, not him. I’ll show up if I want to!” Judai grumbled in an ornery manner, the pout his pursed lips had maintained only deepening upon these words.

 

Yusei followed about a pace behind him, keeping up without much difficulty due to his longer legs.  “It’s not my place to say this,” he ventured carefully, “but this might be something you should speak to him about.” _Before you do anything too reckless_ , his troubled gaze seemed to imply.

 

Worrying his lower lip between the softened edges of his teeth, the youth simply shook his head in response.

 

“Yusei! You know him! He’ll never listen to me…” The brunet muttered, gazing out toward the stained glass windows of which lined the halls in a breathtaking display.

 

Prisms of polychromatic luminescence shimmered; pirouetting about both the interior of the castle walls and the eyes of which gazed upon its splendor. The lights seemed to shine in various directions as they wished, and appeared more vibrant than any shimmering, holy god. They were free. Free to shine upon whomever they pleased. Free to display the naked splendor of their true colors.

 

These were his favorite halls, simply being for the multitude of stained glass windows the castle had been widely known for. Numerous times as a child he’d been caught wandering about these very corridors; simply standing within the grandeur of colorful warmth. Unfortunately, his visits had become far and few as the years had seemed to pass. More so due to the increase in mandatory schooling he was currently suffering from.

 

He hadn’t been precisely sure where his fondness for the windows had stemmed, though he was more than knowledgeable as to why they had become such an inspirational symbol within his everyday life. The answer simply being freedom. The freedom to expose his own colors within; without constantly being lectured for doing so, or having to write an entire scrolls-worth on ‘ _The Esteemed Ethics of Aristocracy_ ’ or, ‘ _One Does Not Simply Reach Over The Entire Length Of The Table To Retrieve A Bread Roll_ ’.

 

“I don’t know…I’m just tired of being told what to do all the time!” The young prince whined in a childish manner, “I mean, I’m not even sure I’ve ever _liked_ a girl before, let alone kissed one. How am I supposed to marry a girl I’ve never even seen before?”

 

A pang shot through the servant’s heart as he tried in vain to come up with some sort of reassurance for one of his oldest friends, but he was at a loss. Unbeknownst to him, his hands had curled into fists as he gazed helplessly upon the young prince’s drooping shoulders. “Judai…”

 

Features contorting in a sudden curiosity, the shortest of the pair began to scratch the back of his head as a thought forthwith occurred to his mind, “Have _you_ ever done that kinda’ stuff with a girl before? You know, like kissing and such.”

 

Yusei blinked, taken aback at the sudden switch in topic.  “Ah. No, I haven’t.”

 

"Really?" Judai inquired in both a disbelieving, yet genuinely confounded tone, "I would've thought the girls would be all over you!I mean, you should hear all the stuff the chambermaids say about you when you're not listening..."

 

“They’re saying what?” Yusei asked, baffled.

 

Pausing, the brunet withheld a snicker in response to his childhood companion's oblivious response.

 

"You know...what girls _usually_ talk about..."

 

The servant arched a dark eyebrow and crossed his arms. “I can’t say I’ve given it much thought.”

 

 Shaking his head once more, the younger released a series of pent up laughter, hand secured loosely upon his lips.

 

"Yusei, you're so funny sometimes!" The hand of which hovered above his mouth retreated, affirming a goofy looking grin of which had laid beneath.

 

“…?” Yusei eyed the prince uncertainly, head slightly tilting in confusion.  But the knot inside his stomach loosened ever so slightly at his renewed humour.  He opened his mouth to respond when he was interrupted by a harried-looking gaggle of maids entering the corridor.  To their slight alarm, the women seemed to light up when they saw them and made a mad dash towards them.

 

“Prince Judai!” one of them called out, strands of her black hair escaping its hastily tied hairnet and her thick glasses askew. “ _There_ you are!”

 

“Eh?” The prince blinked, turning his head as the sight of maids clustered together greeted his eyes.  Though one in particular had caught his eye upon her frantic separation from the group; obviously making her way toward him.

 

“Hey! er…” the prince paused, nibbling the reddened flesh of his lower lip as he quite apparently struggled to derive the servant’s name from memory.

 

Yusei came to his rescue.  “What is it, Carly?” he interjected calmly, taking care not to further upset the frazzled girl. “Is something the matter?”

 

“Yusei!” she exclaimed upon noticing the manservant, beaming.  “It’s a good thing I found you here too!  You have _no_ idea how impossible this thing is going to be!”

 

After sharing a look with his prince who was just as, if not more clueless than himself, Yusei asked, “What thing?”

 

Taking a deep breath, the maid, Carly, launched into a string of incomprehensible retelling, waving her hands in a series of flailing gestures.  “…and then, he said, ‘They’ll be arriving this evening.’ _This evening_! There’s no way we can get everything done by then!  We haven’t even started _cleaning_ yet! Oooooh!”

 

Eyebrows creasing in evident bemusement, the adolescent royal felt his own head begin to spin upon the jumbled words of this clearly disoriented serving girl.

 

“Woah, woah, wait,” Judai interjected, throwing a preceding glance toward that of his own manservant, “What do you mean ‘he’? ‘They’? Who’s telling who to come where?”

 

Carly’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline.   “It’s for the reception of course!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. “All the kings and queens from the neighboring countries will be here! Oooh, _where_ are we going to put them all??”

 

The brunet released something akin to a choke as the words, or perhaps any sort of vocal sound struggled to surpass the narrowing cavity of his throat.

 

“The-thi-this evening? As in, THIS evening, evening?” The youth attempted to clarify, a certain heightening in the pitch of his voice indicating quite the astounding amounts of alarm already evident from the male’s dazed expression. It shouldn’t have been such a tremendous surprise for the teen, given that an extravagant ceremony of unity was to take place between himself and a woman not of his knowing in a mere two days.

 

Still, the prince had only just gained wind of this abrupt decision, and quite honestly hadn’t felt much of an urge to converse with his noble peers.

 

“That’s right!” one of the other maids chirped, stepping forward with a cheerful bounce of her short brown hair.  “Isn’t this exciting?  Oh, I’ve heard that the princess is so very beautiful!  They say she has long golden tresses that shine brighter than the sun!”

 

“I heard she dances with the grace of a swan!  And she can play over seven instruments and sing like an angel!” cried another maid.

 

Carly let out a breathy sigh and clasped her hands together, so caught up in the moment that her previous worries were momentarily pushed to the side.  “She is the most beloved princess on the continent!  And to think, she’ll be marrying our prince!  How romantic…!”

 

Yusei watched the giggling maids but felt as though his mind was miles away, unable to muster up even a fraction of their enthusiasm.  He turned to Judai to gauge his reaction, worry clearly shining through his eyes.

 

The prince merely stood in silence, gaze averted toward the ground as he swallowed a lump within his throat. It was odd, to say the least. Often times when such a social gathering was organized within the walls of the castles, the youth hadn’t taken a moment’s thought to participate in the traditions of any communal function; that was, socializing of course. Now, obviously circumstances were different… given the fact that he _was_ to meet his future spouse. Though, whether or not he secretly planned to do so was still up for heated debate.

 

"So then... _she_ will be there, right? The princess, I mean..."

 

“Everyone will be there! Everyone who is anyone!”  Carly exclaimed, clearly thriving in her element. “Princess Asuka will be arriving in just a few hours! … Oh no!” Here, she gasped and seized the prince’s hands without a thought to decorum.  “Prince Judai!  We have to get you ready!”

 

Releasing what, if asked, the prince would confirm as an assuredly manly yelp of alarm, Judai shook his head fervently, wriggling his hands from within the maiden’s grasp.

 

“Wait! No, I can dress myself, you know!” The sovereign objected in the midst of his squeaking, only serving to contradict what was intended to be a mature statement.

 

Carly shook her head furiously.  “I’m sure you do, Sire.  But this is not an ordinary event!  Everything must be perfect,” she cried before looking off to the side with a desolate expression, “…or the steward will have my head.”

 

Drawing back slightly, the brunet felt a bead of sweat run down his temple upon this revelation. Though, another glance back toward his companion, and the problem in and of itself simply seemed to solve itself.

 

“Yusei can help me! Can’t you, Yusei?” The youth evasively pleaded, throwing the elder male a set of desperate, earnest eyes. Many a times he had been exposed to the torture that was dress up… and, to be quite honest at the current moment in time, the last thing his majesty wished to re-live were the childhood years his mother’s chambermaids would spend doting over him—using him as a makeshift doll to boot.

 

“Ah. Yes,” Yusei replied without missing a beat.  “I’ll look after him, Carly.  Don’t worry.”

 

“Well, if it’s Yusei…” said the black-haired girl, placing a considering hand on her chin.  “I suppose the prince should be in good hands.”

 

“Ehhhh?” The rest of the maids sighed in collective disappointment.

 

“But I was looking forward to helping him pick out an outfit!” One of them complained.

 

Releasing a sheepish laugh, the youth was quick to wriggle from the ebony haired maiden’s grasp as he shimmied over through the cluster of maidens, toward the taller male with a slight flush.

 

“M-Maybe next time!” The brunet assured with a stutter, rubbing the back of his head as a nervous grin shown through his features. Though, it was short-lived as he hastily reached out a hand to grasp Yusei’s own in efforts to pull them along in the opposite direction.

 

When he felt the prince’s pale, smooth fingers brush against his rough and heavily calloused ones, Yusei had to try very hard to force down a violent blush as he let himself be dragged along by his master.  They left the behind the pointed giggles of the serving girls and made their way through the long, ornate corridors.

 

“Jeez! I swear, they’re like wild animals, sometimes!” The teen chuckled to himself, glancing back toward his manservant with a ridiculous grin, “It almost makes me wonder how my father was able to handle them back in the day, huh?”

 

Yusei only nodded mutely, his attention for the moment was decidedly fixated on there their hands were connecting.  “Prince Judai…” he said.

 

The youthful prince merely hummed, peering back toward his manservant in an inquisitive manner as the pair proceeded their prolonged trek through the narrowing halls in search of the boy’s chambers.

 

“Hm? What is it, Yusei?”

 

“…I think you can probably let go now,” Yusei said, finally losing the fight against his blush as his cheeks flamed.  “And… We’re also going the wrong way.”

 

Pausing, Judai merely blinked in response as he allowed himself time to register this statement. However, upon realizing the elder’s words rang true, the prince felt a flush of his own consume his reddening cheeks, though for far different reasons than the dusty blush his manservant was currently sporting.

 

“Eeh? I guess you’re right!” The youngest of the pair let loose a hearty laugh as he released his grip on Yusei’s hand before an idiotic grin emerged, “I must’ve been in a real hurry to get out of there…”

 

Yusei responded with a soft chuckle of his own.  “It’s fine.  This must be a lot to take in for you.”

 

Averting his gaze, the brunet released a silent breath through his nostrils as the hazel eyes, of which often sparkled, or glimmered with happiness dulled considerably upon the topic at hand.

 

“I just don’t understand why I have to get married now… I mean, I’m not even king yet!... You do, understand what I’m saying, right?” The teen murmured, glancing up as to lock gazes with that of Yusei’s own.

 

The servant’s cobalt eyes softened and he gingerly reached out to clasp the prince’s shoulder.  "I’m sure your father has his reasons,” Yusei said quietly. “He has never been one to do anything without meticulously planning it out beforehand.”

 

“Yea, without even telling his own son…” Judai murmured in response, lower lip jutting out in a slight pout as his arms crossed securely above the upper portion of his torso in a manner that gave the impression of an upset child.

 

“If I’m expected to be king, shouldn’t I know about this stuff? Especially if it’s about _me_ in the _first_ place?” the prince muttered beneath his breath, deviating his gaze as his attention suddenly shifted toward the gaping, sun lit windows adjacent to them.

 

Allowing his feet to trail toward the gathering of windows, he ceased moment upon leaning against the stone wall beneath; propping his elbows against the ridge as he rested his chin upon the support of his palm, “I mean… if you think about it, father was never happy with mother… at least, not that I’ve seen anyway.” The royal muttered, conceding his gaze to amble along the scenery; latching to any object or individual in particular as many proceeded to come, or go, hustling and bustling throughout the town square.

 

“But… then, when I hear about marriage from so many others, like the villagers, they tell me how great it’s supposed to be…or, that I’m ‘too young to understand’ but I think they’re the ones that don’t understand…”

 

“They say that the point is to be happy when that person is around you, but I hardly even know this girl… I mean, I’m happy around _you_! And _we’re_ not married!” The teen murmured pointedly.

 

Yusei looked away, his long bangs casting his eyes in shadows.  When he spoke again, something in his voice was strained.  “I wish it didn’t have to be this way, Sire.  The truth is that most royals don’t have the luxury to marry for love.  But,” he paused off, hesitant, before continuing on, “It may not be as bad as you think.  If what the girls said was true, then I might know who your betrothed is.”

 

Blinking, the brunet allowed the hand propping up his chin to fall against the other as he glanced back toward his companion with inquisitive intention, “You do?”

 

“She’ll be from the neighboring kingdom of Lugus.  I’ve heard that she’s kind and considerate to her subjects,” Yusei said, distantly.  He stared out at the balcony, the golden rays casting his features aglow.  “They say she is also quick-witted and has a good grasp of politics.  I could see why His Majesty is pushing for this marriage.” The dark haired boy stepped out onto the terrace next his friend and offered a supportive, but slightly strained smile.  “You could probably do worse than Asuka Tenjouin.”

 

“Asuka…Tenjouin?” The youth murmured, as if to test the name upon his tongue. It was certainly peculiar—the familiarity of which his manservant pertained concerning the names of infamous nobles, or, to his knowledge, a majority of the town’s folk. When all the prince could manage was perhaps a handful of neighboring sovereigns, mostly due to their constant appearances to visit with his father. He never had been much of a quick learner where names had been concerned.

 

“Yes,” Yusei replied. “I believe she is a person with honor. You may... even grow to love her one day.”

 

Frowning, the adolescent royal merely huffed as he turned once more to gaze about the surrounding cluster of bustling citizens.

 

 “That’s not how it works out _there_ …” Judai murmured, motioning to land of which stretched, far past the border lines of the hectic village life beneath, “I bet if I got out there… someday… no one would make me do anything I didn’t want to and I could just be normal. No one to tell me what to do, and no _wives_! Just freedom…” The prince began to ramble quietly, though as to whether or not he had been addressing the male behind him or simply wondering aloud remained unknown.

 

“You could come too! We’d make our own little house in the forest. You could hunt, and then I could cook for us every meal! Then at night, we could catch fireflies and dance around the fire… and no one would be there to watch us for a second of it…” Judai practically whispered to himself, though as he had never been one to control the tone of his voice, the words remained considerably audible.

 

A hand rose toward the sky; a pointed index and middle finger raised toward the sun, thumb jutting out beside them.

 

“Gotcha…!”

 

For a moment, the servant could see the prince’s described vision in vivid detail and was hit with a fierce longing. But he stepped from the balcony and turned away.  “That would be nice, Sire,” he said, something in his voice wistful, sad.  “But that… isn’t our life.”

 

Whirling around in an instant, the hazel eyed prince gazed upon the aboutface form of his companion as a pang of desperation flooded through his veins.

 

“But, it doesn’t have to be.” The teen objected ardently, “Don’t you understand what I’m saying, Yusei? Don’t you get it?” he pleaded, stretching an arm out over the expanse of the green hills which lay just beyond the kingdom walls.  “We can leave, right now! No one will notice… it’ll just be us against the world; we can write our own adventures! Don’t you want that…Yusei…?”

 

“I…” The black-haired boy remained turned away, his posture rigid. “I… It’s not my place, Sire.  We had better get going… I promised Carly that I’d get you ready for the banquet.”

 

A frown befell the young prince’s features upon the taller male's stringent reply.  He shouldn’t have expected anything more, or less from Yusei’s infamous, unfailing loyalty. It was both an endearing, yet exasperating quality his companion possessed.

 

“Fine…” Judai murmured, reluctantly conceding his defeat on the matter.

 

_For the time being, of course._

 

 

 -----


	2. Chapter 2

****

* * *

 

The great hall had been transformed.  Long tables lined the wide chamber, intricately carved and inlaid with ebony and ivory, and heavily laden with the castle’s finest silver platters of roasted meats and sweet mead.   Red velvet tapestries hung from the walls, woven with intricate patterns of gold dancing under the flickering candlelight.  Servants bearing jugs of wine bustled between the tables, hurrying to ensure their masters’ goblets never ran dry.  The nobles in their best finery laughed raucously as they ate and drank.

Above them all on a raised platform where the royal table had been arranged, the king sat regally on his throne, overlooking the events with steel blue eyes, fingers steepled beneath his chin.  Without having to do more than shooting a look at the man standing by his side, his advisor stood.

The advisor, a tall man with long dark hair neatly pulled back into a tail, cleared his throat and clapped his hands twice. The man bore a startling resemblance with the stern faced king, but where the king's eyes were ice, his twinkled with mischief. A hush quickly fell across the guests as they all turned toward him.

“My lords and ladies,” he addressed in a loud, clear voice, “It is with great pleasure that we welcome you here today.  I trust you have found our feast satisfactory?”  His question was met with polite titters as the guests chatted amongst themselves.  Smiling charismatically, the man continued on, “But I am sure you are impatient to meet our guests of honor.  So without further ado…”  At the advisor’s gesture, the king’s herald stepped up, trumpeting from his golden instrument.

“Announcing the Crown Prince Judai!”

Choking slightly, said prince, whose entrance many awaited eagerly, stumbled in from within the threshold of the doorway. Hastily he fought with the unkempt chestnut locks which hung over his line of sight. Though, the oversized crown which seemed to insist upon slipping past the line of his brow did little to help the prince’s dilemma.

He’d always disliked wearing the ceremonial headpiece. Many times had both his mother, and many other members within the royal castle offered to hire a blacksmith in efforts to resize or replicate the crown, though, his father had argued adamantly that the boy would simply grow into it, and that awaiting the benefits of puberty would be far more practical as opposed to defiling a royal heirloom.

Still, his predicament proved to be something of a lesser enemy compared to the expensive threads that clung mercilessly to his irritated skin. A woolen, bleach-white blouse hung loosely from his faintly muscled arms. Above, a velvet vest which hung from his figure cut off at mid-thigh; displaying such vibrate sheens of crimson threads one may have been foolish enough to have mistaken it for a garment woven from ruby. Thin borders of shimmering gold lined the edges of the fabric, only serving to accentuate the profound wealth his highness’s appearance displayed.

Auburn tights embraced the teen’s slender legs in such a manner one may have labeled the wearer ‘graceful’, if it had not been for the manner in which his majesty continued to readjust them.

Nevertheless, Judai merely proceed to make his way toward the dais of the Great Hall.

Keeping several paces behind the young prince, Yusei kept a careful eye on his prince as well as for potential road hazards and hoped he wouldn’t need to provide a steadying hand this time.  He surreptitiously lowered his face behind the stiff collar of his tunic, slightly unnerved by the fact that every pair of eyes in the great hall were glued to them.  With an unnoticeable sigh, he braced himself for the longest feast of his life.

Upon reaching the head of the table, Judai promptly dropped into the seat below as he shifted; grimacing as the burning fabric of the tights chafed against his lap.

As the herald began to rattle off on the long list of names, the dark haired servant came to a stop at his place, just behind the prince’s elbow and stood at parade rest with his hands laced together behind his back.

The king’s sharp blue gaze passed over him briefly, finding no objections, before resting on his son’s slightly slumped form.  He let out a short derisive huff that may have passed as amusement.  “Hmph.  So you made it after all.”

Lower lip jutting out in apparent displeasure, the adolescent prince did not reward his father with a response. Truthfully, he rarely allowed the other’s derisive words to affect him in any manner. However under the pressures of such pronounced discomfort he could hardly prevent it from showing.

The king might have rolled his eyes if such behavior was not beneath him. “Sulking?” he asked in a disinterested tone.  “I suppose I should be impressed that you showed up at all. Although,” here he eyed the black-haired servant standing behind the prince with a hint of contempt, “Your nanny probably had something to do with it.”

Yusei’s shoulders stiffened a fraction but otherwise showed no reaction to the slight, staring determinedly forward.

Peering to the side, Judai managed to catch a glimpse of the monarch’s glower before his own features began to reveal a certain irritation. Friendship was a sacred concept to the otherwise considered thoughtless teen; there was little he wouldn’t do to defend it.

“He’s not my nanny, he’s my best friend.” The younger defended adamantly, irritation hardening into an unyielding resolve.

“He’s your servant,” the king corrected sharply.  “And if you don’t stop slouching before your future queen arrives, I’ll be taking it out on his hide.”

The teen flinched in response to the weighted threat, shoulders stiffening as he straightened his form against the vertical slope of the chair’s lumbar support. Expression levelling considerably, the youth placed his hands upon his lap obediently, however reluctantly he may have done so.

Though, upon the turn of his father’s hostile gaze, the teen couldn’t resist the urge to stick his tongue out in a deprecating manner.

At the prince’s actions, Yusei fought to keep a straight face and felt he had mostly succeeded.  

Seto Kaiba was not a man to be trifled with. Renowned for his fearsome intellect and his willingness to achieve his objectives through any means; at the tender age of 12, he had hatched a plot and succeeded in overthrowing his own father and securing his place on the throne. Since then, he had conquered kingdom after kingdom as his enemies seemed to fall effortlessly at his feet. Some called him a tyrant and they would not be incorrect as everything in his domain fell under his grasp of absolute power.

It spoke volumes, Yusei noted, about how lenient the king had been with Prince Judai, although the latter did not seem to realize it yet.

“Announcing His Highness, Jack Atlas, and the Lady Asuka of Lugus!”

Two figures emerged from the gaping foyer—a man, and a woman. Both adorned in the epitome of affluence as they entered.

Head held high, the male carried himself with effortless authority, given the sophisticated air that surrounded him as he strode down the aisle as though the palace were of his own belonging. The expression of which the monarch carried, while confident, however, remained stoic upon proceeding with swift strides.

Trailing down the center of the hall, the young woman, perhaps around the same age as her betrothed, emerged from the archways. Her movements were fluid; gliding down the carpeted trail with the grace of a swan. In fact, the stunning presence of the noblewoman alone was enough to cause the occasional gentleman to gawk. Though, their wives were quick to reprimand this with a slap onthe wrist.

The maiden’s silky tresses seemed to flow effortlessly down her shoulders, shimmering within the luminescent candle light like locks of saccharine, golden honey which did well to frame her elegant features. The countess’s shoulders and neck displayed themselves in a graceful yet refined manner, chin tilted upward as liquid, silvery eyes remained focused upon the subject of her arrival: the prince.

The dress which embraced the curvatures of her figure streamed the floor behind her as though they played the role of dancing flames. Intricate designs interwoven into the crimson fabric of her dress fluttered in the midst of her poised stride as a waterfall of thread like gold and shimmering whites fell gracefully around the lady’s forearms.  As she arrived at the foot of the steps, the crowd stirred as women proceeded to exchange their opinions of the maiden’s choice in formal wear.

“Jack,” the king greeted neutrally, as he rose from his seat to greet the other monarch, covertly shooting his son a glare for him to do the same.  “And the Lady Asuka.”

Hastily raising himself from his seat beside his father, Judai flushed in embarrassment as he shot up, a bit too quickly as his chair scraped loudly against the floor in his haste.  Luckily, their guests made no move to comment, beyond a raised eyebrow from Jack and a polite smile from Asuka.

“I trust the journey has been well?” asked King Seto, though it was more with the air of someone trying to get the pleasantries out of the way than out of any genuine desire to inquire.  As the neighboring monarchs began to engage in idle conversation, Yusei took the chance to surreptitiously nudge the prince’s seat back into place.

Throwing a glance of appreciation toward his companion, the brunet once again seated himself upon the conclusion of their civil exchange.

“It pleases me to meet you in person at last, Prince Judai.” The noblewoman greeted beside him, as a nearby servant quickly pulled out a chair from under the table in preparation for the countess’s arrival.

Jumping slightly, Judai quickly redirected his attention back to the noblewoman with what was intended to be a princely gaze. Though, unfortunately it did not exactly quite the desired effect, given his anxiousness.

“S-Same here…” The teen attempted lamely, achieving perhaps less than half of the grace with which his newly introduced fiancée had managed to greet him with. Desperate, Judai quickly peered over toward his manservant with a distraught expression; clearly unsure as to how one should precisely go about ‘wooing’ a maiden.

Upon seeing his prince’s plight, the dark-haired manservant inwardly sighed even as he felt the corner of his lips tilt up.  He shook his head fractionally to catch the younger boy’s attention and allowed his calm blue gaze to linger pointedly on the jug of wine that had been placed on the table beside him before letting his eyes flicker over to the visiting princess significantly.

Hazel eyes squinting in confusion, the adolescent royal followed the elder’s indicative gaze between both the jug and the woman beside him in confusion.

“What? Get her drunk?” the young prince inquired, not having intended to have voiced these allegations aloud. However, the sovereign had not quite taken this into account, that is, until the maiden abruptly turned to meet the prince’s gaze with a sharp, bemused look of her own.

“Excuse me?”

Feeling a major migraine coming on, Yusei valiantly resisted the urge to facepalm.  Instead, he stepped forward and took hold of the wine jug, hoping to buy enough time for his prince to get his act together.  Quickly, he topped off Judai’s goblet before bowing to the princess. “Would you care for some wine, milady?”

Asuka nodded vaguely in response, though a suspicious eye remained trained upon her suitor.

Letting loose a nervous laugh, the younger ensured to give the elder yet another indebted look as he gingerly raised the goblet to his lips in an effort to remain neutral.

Yusei let out the breath he almost didn’t realize he had been holding as he carefully served the princess.  As he drew back, he shot the prince a look that was half-warning, and half-pleading.

A nervous laugh served as response to his manservant’s amusing yet forewarning expression. Not long after, the youth immediately launched into a half hearted attempt at conversation.

“So...are you, you know…” The prince trailed off, “into anything?”

“’Into anything?’” the princess repeated, befuddled by the prince’s sub-par vocabulary. Those who hadn’t known his majesty personally often were, seeing as an upbringing among the affluent often meant developing a keen vocabulary. However, given the considerable amount of time that the prince often spent beyond the perimeter of the castle walls, he’d grown up upon the language of commoners. This was something, naturally, many nobles had difficulty understanding.

“Yea,” the youth affirmed, “You know…like, dueling.”

“Dueling?”

“Uh, you know…with swords?”

Cracking a small smile, her highness simply shook her head in reply, “Yes, I am well aware of what the leisurely pursuit of dueling entails.” She ensured the brunet, the sparkle of amusement evident despite her rigid posture, “I am simply inquiring, given the fact that most princesses, or any noblewoman for that matter are not permitted to engage in such... vigorous hobbies. Surely you must be aware of this?”

The young prince merely grinned; rubbing the back of his head in a sheepish manner. “Well sure, but you don’t seem like a normal girl. I mean, not all girls are like that, right?”

Chuckling upon the prince’s rather awkward display, the honey haired maiden leaned in toward the other, not once removing her gaze from the festivities directly ahead them, “Yes. I do quite enjoy dueling.” She murmured, drawing back slowly as she delicately tipped the edge of the goblet into her mouth.

Yusei's eyebrows had risen steadily throughout the exchange as he noted how effortlessly his prince was outmaneuvered. It seemed the rumors did not do the princess justice. He could see now why the king had been so set on the union: to succeed at politics was to have the a silvered tongue which could parry, flatter, and strike all in the same breath. With Lady Asuka as the prince's future queen, the king would be able to rest easy with the kingdom in such formidable hands. As brave and honorable his prince was, Yusei had to admit he did not quite yet grasp the art of subtlety.  Dimly, the servant wondered if he should be worrying that Prince Judai may not be a match for his new bride; the thought that the sweet, well-meaning boy might be taken advantaged of did not sit well with him.

His musings were cut short when King Seto rose from his seat with a swirl of his long white coat. The hall instantly quieted as every ear perked up and prepared to hang on to the king's every word.

Perhaps fed up with pleasantries and pandering to his guests even just a little, His Majesty promptly went right to business. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the dawn of a new era! For the first time in history, the kingdoms of Alba and Lugus will be free of its bloody history and join together as the mightiest alliance in the realm. As a symbol of this union, my son, the Crown Prince Judai will be wed to Lady Asuka of the House of Atlas!"

Lifting herself from the ornate chair below, the princess assumed an amiable smile as she faced the cheering guests. Glancing down toward her betrothed, she gave a barely discernible nod in efforts to indicate it be wise for the prince to stand.

Judai was quick to respond, though, rose himself gradually as to prevent his previous mishap.

As the chorus of merry cheers and joyous ovation alike rang through the crowded throng of guests, the echo of silver clanking against metal pierced the veil of gaiety.  Many pairs of ogling eyes redirected themselves toward its source, including the children whom stood before the banquet halls.

Beside the king stood a proud looking figure; a proud looking figure of which the prince had easily recognized as the rather ostentatious gentleman whom had entered upon Lady Asuka’s arrival. His majesty stood adorned in rather vivid apparel, covered from head to toe with stunning pieces of jewelry and garnishes alike. The monarch’s complex mane lay arranged in an extravagant fashion; it appeared that not even a single platinum thread of hair could be found out of place. The wealth that his majesty had presented given his overall appearance may have easily been able surpass his father’s. And he was more than certain this was not something that sat very well with the infamously competitive King of Alba in the least.

With a single clear of the throat, all voices seemed to fall silent in the midst of a collective ambiance of anticipation.

“For many years, I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the Lady Asuka.” His majesty began in a loud, booming voice as the chalice within his fingertips hovered for a moment within air, “Since the budding age of a mere decade she has shown profound potential in her working knowledge of political matters and aristocracy. Excelling above any noble within the borders of our kingdom in both remarkable beauty, and talent, I am proud to claim her as kin.” Jack boasted, considerable pride evident in his tone before the sovereign’s gaze shifted toward that of his fellow king.

“However, upon thorough consideration, both the lady and I had agreed it best she be wed to the prince of Alba, for both our kingdom’s sake.” His gaze shifted over to the princess, who maintained a humble politeness as he spoke on her behalf.

“I understand that within the course of the coming years, prince Judai will begin his preparation for assuming the throne. I can only hope that he surpasses his predecessor in every discipline required of a great king.”

“To marriage,” He murmured, raising the goblet of wine above his head in a toast, “And may both Lady Asuka and Prince Judai bring the Kingdom of Alba the utmost prosperity.”

The crowd responded with gleeful intent, raising their glasses to his majesty’s toast.

Lifting her own glass, the Lady Asuka glanced toward her suitor, elegant features accompanied by a dazzling smile. Judai merely blinked, wondering if perhaps he should mirror her actions.

“This wedding marks a significant victory. Not for one kingdom, but for two. By sunset tomorrow two kingdoms shall be united under the unity of marriage, thereby marking this fateful day as the moment an unbreakable bond was forged between the alliances of Alba, and Lugus.” Her voice echoed through the ballroom, each word as elegant and as swift as the next.

“Prince Judai,” The countess began, silvery eyes catching the prince’s own hesitant gaze, “Despite only having just acquainted ourselves, you should know that I respect you as royalty. This being said, I shall respect you no less through the difficult trials awaiting you upon your journey to becoming king. I look forward to having the honor of being your queen, and aiding your leadership of this great kingdom.”

The princess averted her gaze once more, back upon the masses as she rose her glass once more with emphasis, “To the kingdom of Alba.”

“To Alba!” The gathered guests echoed before indulging themselves once more.

King Seto smiled thinly, though his sharp eyes lit upon his future daughter-in-law rather approvingly. “A very fine speech, Lady Asuka,” he commended. “As expected of one of such noble lineage.  Jack was quite right to gift you with such praise.”  

He then turned to address the crowd.  “As my soon to be kinsmen have said, this is indeed a momentous occasion.  With the might of the kingdoms of Alba and Lugus, none shall stand in our way!  We will unite the realms under our banner, and rid the world of the scourge known as sorcery!”

This time, the crowd roared with approval with several of the more enthusiastic lords in attendance smacking the surface of the banquet tablets with their goblets.

A slow, pleased smile spread across the brown-haired monarch’s face as he spread his arms magnanimously.  “But the time for talk is over.  I bid you all return to your festivities.”

The prince’s manservant felt his taut shoulders slump as it looked like his master would probably make his way through the rest of the night without incident.  He then leaned forward, under the pretence of topping up the younger boy’s goblet, and whispered, “You handled that well.”

Tilting his head back, the younger’s exuberant grin immediately resurfaced. Though, unfortunately as the prince opened his mouth to respond, an excited voice erupted from the space ahead them.

“Prince Judai! Princess Asuka, it is certainly an honor to be here at your ceremonial banquet!” A rather short female practically bounced as she zealously greeted the pair with an enthusiastic grin. She appeared to be no older than either of the pair themselves, though seemed to show more than twice the amount of anticipation either currently expressed.

“My father and I would certainly love to speak with you! Would you mind terribly sharing a moment or two with us?”

Allowing a gentle smile to crack through the tame lips of her highness’s visage, she raised herself graciously from the chair with a silent nod of compliance. This, of course, before the brunet could even hope to manage but a single word.

“It would be our pleasure, Lady Rebecca.”

The teen glanced back behind his shoulder at his companion with a pitiful expression—a cocktail of reluctance, dread, and apology.

The servant’s features softened as he gave his prince an encouraging smile, conveying with his eyes that he had faith in him.  As the prince’s back disappeared into the mingling crowd, Yusei let out a faint sigh and massaged his aching temples. With the exception of the earlier mishap with the princess, it seemed that Judai was slowly growing more accustomed to his role which Yusei was extremely grateful for.

“Psst, Yusei!” A chipper voice cut through his musings.  The black haired boy looked up to see a familiar face peeking out at him from behind an alcove.

“Carly,” he greeted with a small pleased smile as he headed towards her. “You and the others have really outdone yourselves today.”

The bespectacled maid spluttered and waved her hands in denial.  “Really!  It’s nothing!  Everything was so rushed!” She then trailed off into an aside, “Oh, I hope no one checks underneath the tablecloth…”

“I’m sure it will be fine.  By the way,” Yusei paused, giving her a slightly bemused look, “What are you doing behind there?”

“Shhh!” Carly hissed waving a hand frantically in front of her face.  “Don’t draw attention to me!  I don’t want to look like a stalker.”  Yusei followed her rather smitten gaze towards a certain tall, imposing blond figure.

“… Jack Atlas, huh?” Yusei asked, crossing his arms, his eyebrows rising.  “I wouldn’t exactly say he is the most humble of party guests.”

Carly stuck out her tongue at him, eyes sparkling with mischief.  “But he’s a feast for the eyes, though! Wouldn’t you agree?”  At that, Yusei let out a small, fond chuckle.

“I might,” he said, his lips quirking into a smirk.

A sudden commotion cut off whatever response the serving girl was about to give as the two looked over towards the center of the hall.

 

* * *

 

 

Prince Judai had could have never remembered such a time he had been so insanely and utterly _bored_. No, _bored_ was the feeling his majesty associated with tedious scroll work for private lessons and frequent lectures. However, the royal’s definition was exceedingly challenged by the nobles currently rambling on.

He struggled to maintain an interested expression. Given the impressive vocabulary of the average noble, the youthful prince found it far too easy for his mind to slip from the conversation altogether. It had gotten so bad the he had taken to consuming his wine in excessive amounts if only to drown out his boredom.

Asuka however seemed to thrive in the veiled environment that was courtly intrigue, as hard as it were to believe. It seemed as though the maiden was in fact the perfect epitome of what any princess strived to be. So, then, why was it so difficult for the boy to comprehend such a marriage? Even he himself would concede that the female was rather attractive, at least judging upon the front she had managed to maintain throughout their nightly festivities.

Sipping his wine as it ran dry for at least the third time throughout their exchange, the prince averted his gaze to the side, wilfully hoping he’d at least get wasted enough to find an excuse to depart early with his manservant.

“If it isn’t Prince Judai?” A voice suddenly cut through the prince’s musings.  The speaker, a slightly taller male who looked to be roughly around his age, had approached undetected.  The first thing Judai noticed was that the newcomer sported a hairstyle that was possibly more dishevelled than his manservant’s, though something about the dark, stiff spikes artfully arrayed over his royal blue cloak hinted at hours of deliberation before a vanity. However, what set him on edge was the thinly veiled contempt in the boy’s dark eyes.

Turning, the youth lowered his goblet with an inquisitive blink.

“Do I know you?” He murmured, unaware of any disrespect his words may have otherwise incidentally implied as consequence.

The newcomer scowled and crossed his arms over his chest, a dull flush spreading across the bridge of his nose, from offense and also quite possibly from the mead. “I am Jun Manjoume, the third in line for the throne of Cenric,” he spat.  “Though I’m surprised that you’re unaware of this.   _I_ would have thought one of the duties of the prince was to have at least a cursory understanding of the guest list.”

“Prince Jun…?” the teen muttered aloud in question, as though testing the foreign name upon his tongue with a slight shake of the head.  “Never heard of it.”

The flush across Jun Manjoume’s face deepened to the point that it appeared as if steam was rising from his ears.  “Don’t call me so familiarly!  You may be the Prince of Alba, but I too am royalty!”

Dazed, hazel eyes widened slightly as the Albanian prince drew back a minor distance before offering an apologetic grin, accompanied by a docile laugh and a small flush of his own.  “Sorry! I guess I’m just really bad at names…” The prince offered as he gingerly rubbed the back of his neck.

Manjoume let out a huff, not quite placated. “See to it that you don’t make the same mistake again!”  He eyed Judai disapprovingly, scanning his appearance from head to toe, particularly lingering at his untidy hair and tilted crown.  Then, a slow considering expression stretched across his pale face.  “Tell me, Prince Judai,” he said, “I am curious as to your opinion on the situation in the south.  Do you believe that an uprising is possible?”  

 

“The south…?” Judai muttered beneath his breath, eyebrows creasing in bemusement. For the most part, life within the castle walls was quite passive; there wasn’t much one could find to concern themselves with. The only war the prince had been thoroughly aware of was the war of which the many kingdoms had waged against the power most call _magic_.

Sorcery was… certainly a sensitive topic. Though, none could surpass his own father’s raw abhorrence for the very word. None dared to even speak of it upon simply passing by the walls in efforts to keep themselves from joining the others; _the sorcerers_. If the word were even to be heard uttered below a breath, the individual responsible would find themselves burnt to the nearest stake in a most painful method of execution.

Of course, it went without saying the prince and his father had their disagreements on this matter. While the youth may have seemed lackadaisical, perhaps even fairly naïve, he made a habit to avoid the topic as it had most often brought violent consequences not of their worth.

“W-Well…” The teen stammered, a bead of sweat running down the edge of his temple as his teeth busied themselves with the bottom flesh of his lip once more, “G-Given the…er, situation it is ah….”

 

“My Prince?” The Lady intervened, graciously extricating herself from the preening pair of nobles behind her, finally having noted her fiancé’s absence. Though, upon shifting her gaze toward the subject of the brunet’s attention, Asuka allowed a weary expression to befall her features as she placed a placid hand upon the shorter man's shoulder.

“Prince Jun…I trust you are enjoying yourself amidst the celebration?” The honey-haired maiden inquired politely, though, something about it differed from the soft and pleasant demeanor she had often displayed during her various minglings with the other guests.

“L-Lady Tenjouin!” Manjoume spluttered, now entirely red-faced for a very different reason.  “W-What a pleasure it is to see you here this evening…!”

Nodding curtly, the maiden glanced toward the nervous expression of her betrothed before re-affixing her gaze upon that of an all the more nervous, spluttering prince.

“Yes, and I see you and my fiancé are getting along quite well?” The princess murmured, shifting her eyes between the two gentlemen in question.

“AH! Yes, of course!” replied the taller of the two, wringing his hands before clapping the brunette roughly on the shoulder.  “The Prince Judai is an absolute delight!”

Hazel eyes blinked for a delayed moment as a befuddled frown settled upon the young prince’s visage.  “Eeh? But you said—“

The rest of Judai’s sentence was rudely interrupted by a hand clamped over his mouth as Manjoume seized the young prince in a headlock.  “I _know_ what I said!” he hissed into his ear.

The princess’s gaze withheld a look of suspicion, though maintained its rightful respect.  “I should hope so…” Asuka paused, paying no heed to the pair’s suspicious antics, “After all, there shall be a day where the two of you may become kings, and cooperation will not be merely an option.”

“O-Of course, milady!” Manjoume simpered rather sycophantically.  “I swear on my honor that Cenric will be Alba’s staunchest supporter in the dark times ahead!”

The prince blinked at least twice before finally managing to remove the taller male’s hand from his mouth.

“Dark times ahead?” The royal muttered, “What do you mean?”

Manjoume blanched and gave the fair lady a rushed bow. “Please excuse us, Lady Tenjouin!” he beseeched.  “There are a few matters I would like to speak to Prince Judai privately about.”

The maiden’s collected expression soon morphed into one of considerable question. While, before her majesty could manage to utter perhaps even an inquiry concerning such an anomalous request, both the prince of Cenric and her fiancé had already made themselves scarce.

Once they were somewhat out of earshot, Manjoume turned to face the younger boy.  “Don’t you ever pay attention to what people say to you?” he berated him under his breath.  “The southern kingdoms have been amassing an army!”

“An army…?” The brunet repeated boorishly, fumbling with the crown of which had slipped further down his head due to the ebony haired prince’s hasty pardon.

“Yes, an army!  Our greatest enemies are rising.  That’s the whole point of this alliance between Lugus and Alba, is it not?” Manjoume said, glowering exasperatedly. “HOW can you expect to rule this kingdom by Lady Tenjouin’s side if you lack the ability to grasp something so simple?!”

Frowning, the shorter man's features contorted in confusion. An army? For war? For all the prince knew, the seven kingdoms were at peace. There had been no famine, no rush of provisions, no last minute assemblage of soldiers in efforts to repel an opposing force. There had been no gossip or chatter amongst the townsfolk nor had there been rampant, aggressive rallying and rants among the often drunken customers at the local tavern. Such was a common occurrence during any sort of uprising.

“I haven’t heard anything about a war…” The brunet murmured, glance shifting about the simmering form of the irritated prince in a confounded expression. “Why don’t you ask Lady Asuka then if you really want to know about it that much?”

“You…!” The foreign prince’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly as words seemed to evade him for the moment.  His eyes then narrowed dangerously as he stalked towards the younger prince and seized him by the collar.  “You ignoramus! What do you spend your days doing, if not preparing for your birthright?  Do you intend on riding on Lady Tenjouin’s skirts for the rest of your kingly days?!  You are not worthy of her…!”

Judai released a yelp of alarm as he felt the other’s fingers clench tightly upon the loose-fitting collar of his tunic, sweating nervously as he met the furious gaze of the foreign prince. Despite his majesty’s temporary shock, however, the brunet’s taken aback expression had just as quickly begun to fade into one of provocation—with a hint of offense in rejoinder to the callous insults.

“Hey, last time I checked, this was an arranged marriage!” The brunet objected, gripping the royal’s wrists as he struggled to remove the grip he held upon the fabric. “Besides, why does it matter who she marries anyway? Who are you to decide who’s good enough to marry who?”

If anything, Judai’s response seemed to stoke the flames of Manjoume’s ire even further as he growled lowly into the younger prince’s face.  “Just the thought that the beauteous and clever Lady Tenjouin must suffer being married to a fool such as you makes me physically ill!  You are not fit to kiss her hand.  If it was me…!”  

Drawing back, the prince felt a surge of indignation course throughout. Despite being unable to speak the sophisticated language of nobility, the prince was not in fact stupid, nor was he ignorant of the dark headed sovereign’s clearly insulting words.

“What is that supposed to mean?” The youth exclaimed, the drunken flush of his own darkening further due to Manjoume’s incredibly blunt insults, “I don’t care _how_ beautiful, or smart, or perfect she is!  That doesn’t change the fact that I don’t even _want_ to marry her in the _first_ place!”

“ _Are you saying she isn’t good enough for you_?!” The other prince roared.

“ _I’m saying I’m not in love with her_!” Judai cried, the words of which the prince had so haphazardly bellowed echoing about the halls. These words proceeded to bounce off the hallowed walls of the ballroom, evoking a sudden pause in the celebration surrounding.

The festivities had ceased, and suddenly every head had turned, and every pair of eyes had found themselves gazing unto the pair with looks of thorough flabbergast; a few perhaps even a significant sense of devastation.

“You utter fool!” Manjoume cried back just as loudly.  “Now look what you’ve done!” Blinded by rage and judgement impaired by drink, the third prince of Cenric drew back a fist to strike his rival.  But he was stopped when a hand suddenly clamped around his wrist.  Snarling, he turned to face the interloper and was met with a pair of stern blue eyes glaring back at him from behind long black bangs.  

“You may wish to rethink your actions, Your Highness,” the new arrival said coolly, even as the entire hall erupted into horrified murmurs. In the backdrop, a certain bespectacled maid looked about ready to collapse on the ground in a dead faint.

Finally recognizing him as Judai’s manservant, Prince Jun’s visage turned a violent shade of puce.  “Unhand me, you insolent cur!”

 

Finally able to liberate himself from Prince Jun’s grasp due to his manservant’s steadfast efforts, the brunet stumbled back a fair distance in an impulsive fit of alarm. Oddly, the prince never once turned to face his spectators, nor the affronted temperament of the besieged royal opposite him.

“Y-Yusei!” The younger prince exclaimed, caught between a sense of both daze and reprieve.

The foreign prince snarled, and in a fit of rage, swung his other fist towards the manservant’s face.  However, his strike was easily avoided and he found himself with both of his arms wrenched behind his back.  “I’ll have your _head_ for this!” he hollered.  “Guards!”

“Prince Jun!” An irate, womanly voice sliced through said prince’s words, rushing toward the trio with an expression of disapproval upon her normally serene features.  “And just what is it you plan to do with my fiancé’s manservant?” The honey haired maiden demanded, maintaining an icy gaze in the ebony haired royal’s direction. The princess’s hands crossed securely beneath the cradle of her bosom, gazing upon the distant royal in a manner one may have thought perhaps a mother would use when correcting a child.

“L-Lady Tenjouin!” Manjoume gasped, even as he struggled against the servant’s vice-like grip. “I… I… This impudent peasant…!”

“That’s quite enough,” a chilling voice cut in.  All the parties to the commotion stiffened in dread as they turned to see the King of Alba stalk towards them with, wearing an inscrutable mask that was somehow far terrifying due to its blankness. Yusei hastily released the third prince’s arms and stepped back, and endured it stoically even as a pair of armored guards seized him from behind.

King Seto observed the scene, face appearing to be carved out of stone save for a barely concealed twitch of his brow.  “I believe it is best that you retire for the night, Prince Jun,” he said, dismissal clear in his tone.  Face burning with disgrace, the black-haired prince nodded mutely before making a strategic retreat.  The King then turned his gaze upon his son.

“Why don’t you show Lady Asuka the gardens?” he said. The words may have been phrased as a suggestion, but it was obvious to the young prince that declining was out of the question.

Judai held his breath breath, glancing between both his father and the image of his childhood companion, ceased within the arms of two rather burly looking guards.

“Let him go!” he cried, attempting to make his way over toward his friend. However, upon coming into contact with one of the men containing Yusei, the brunet was forcefully heaved away from the unmoving guards.

“I would prefer you go _without_ your manservant,” the King qualified, gesturing for the guards to march the servant away. “I will have words with him.  That is not up for discussion, Prince Judai.”

“Prince Judai…” the princess intervened, “I would very much prefer it if you were to guide me to the gardens. After all, I hear the moonlight on a mid-summer’s evening does wonders to one’s soul when troubled.” The honey haired maiden offered a gentle smile. Judai however paid little heed to her request, narrowed gaze remaining focused upon the guards who stood in his way.

A reassuring expression crossed the maiden’s features, before their glimmer faded as she turned to the king, posture straightening instantly.

“Do not worry yourself, my Lord. I shall do my best to busy his majesty as you tend to the issue at hand.”

The King gave her a curt nod.  “Then I shall take my leave, Lady Asuka.”  In a swirl of white leather, he spun on his heel and marched towards the exit as the guards trailed behind him, dragging the servant with them. Yusei glanced back over his shoulder at the prince, eyes apologetic, just as the double doors slammed closed with a dull thud.

 


	3. Chapter 3

As the hollow echo faded into the hall, the gossip-mongering courtiers seemed to come back to life and launched into a frenzied, if not delighted uproar at the delicious scandal that had taken place.

 

“Did you see that?”

 

“Can you believe the gall of these peasants! I do hope we’re in for a public disciplining.”

 

“Such a shame this is.  That boy had such lovely blue eyes, too. Ooh, do you think the king will have them plucked out?”

 

The youthful prince felt his breath hitch; particularly upon the last remark.

 

Yusei…

 

No, he wouldn’t;. The king would never lay waste to such a valuable servant to the throne. Still, Kaiba was in fact no man of mercy, and humiliation was perhaps his majesty’s most dreaded fear. Particularly before the entirety of the northern kingdoms during a vastly diplomatic celebration.

 

“Prince…” Asuka murmured, gently tugging on the male’s arm as she struggled to summon the dazed royal’s awareness, “We should go…--”

 

“How could you…” Judai murmured, turning toward the princess with uncharacteristic vehemence. “Why did you say that? I could have told him what actually happened! Yusei was only protecting me!” The prince cried furiously, eliciting yet another round of heated gasps amongst the awestricken throng of spectators.

 

Noting the prince was far too gone to appeal to reason, the maiden chose to perform a bold act; gripping his hand in a half forceful, half guiding manner before hastily evacuating her fiancé from the floors of the murmuring banquet halls. Doing such however was no easy feat, seeing as his majesty proved to be quite obstinate.

 

Upon making a hasty retreat from the horde of gossiping courtiers, the princess released him, prompting his majesty to stumble inelegantly backward. As a result, his majesty’s bottom crashed unceremoniously to the stone floor beneath.

 

“Don’t be foolish!” The honey haired maiden chastised upon reaching a safe distance from the banquet halls. A stern expression crossed her face, causing the brunet’s own to falter from one of fury into another of shock.

 

“Surely by now you know how the King is...Your recklessness concerning non-diplomatic matters is perhaps one of the only traits the two of you seem to have in common.”  The princess murmured as more so of a note to herself. Her expression remained firm, “He wouldn’t be presenting himself in a good light if he were to allow a simple manservant to show him up…and certainly, under no circumstances would he allow his own son to besmirch his authority by overruling his judgment.”

 

The explanation was met with a pair of blinking, hazel eyes as Judai proceeded to gingerly rub his tender bottom. Still, however, the youth shook his head in a zealous defiance.

 

“I wasn’t going to besmirch anyone’s judgment! Yusei is innocent! You saw that Manjoume guy—you saw Yusei stop him—everyone did!” Judai fumed, brusquely attempting to balance himself in an attempt to rise from his floored position, “I’m not going on some walk in the gardens while my friend is possibly in danger!” his majesty defended, matching the maiden’s unyielding temperament with a fierceness of his own.

 

“So, you’ll stay here, whining like a child?” the princess spoke rather harshly, arm snapping out toward the direction of the meandering corridors in a single, swift motion.

 

“Go!” She exclaimed, “I wouldn’t count on his highness being particularly merciful. If you want to get to him before he’s punished for his actions, you’ll need to hurry.”

 

Blinking, the youthful prince felt the words of which he’d primed to fire at will catch in the back of his throat. His features twisted in bewilderment, gaze shifting off in the direction of which the princess has motioned toward.

 

“You mean…?”

 

Nodding in tacit reply, the princess turned in preparation to depart back to the swarming precincts of the banquet, “You claim the title of prince…prove to me, as your future ally that you’re worthy of my trust. Alba has persecuted the innocent long enough.” The maiden paused, then opted to turn toward the boy this time with a small smile.

 

“Be careful…”

 

Judai’s own expression mitigated upon these words, eliciting an enthusiastic nod as the adolescent royal promptly sprung into action. “Thank you, Asuka!” The brunet murmured appreciatively. And with that, the sovereign quickly turned, making for a mad dash down the hall.

 

Chuckling, the princess shook her head, gingerly bracing either side of the elongated dress she adorned with a noiseless sigh. Now, to have a talk with that troublesome, foolishly infatuated third prince of Cenric…

  
  


* * *

 

  
  


“So,” the King said.

 

Yusei knelt in the center of the King’s chambers with his arms bound tightly behind him and eyed the tall, brown-haired man standing over him through his bangs.  Dimly, he wondered if this would be a punishment he would be walking away from, as he was intimately familiar with the King’s particular brand of mercy, or rather his lack of it.  However, he did not regret his actions for a second.

 

The king’s blue gaze was sharp enough to puncture holes in its wake.  “When I initially appointed you to be my son’s manservant, I had taken you to be a more sensible man,” he stated dryly.  When he did not receive an immediate reply, he gestured for one of the guards to cuff the boy.  “Explain yourself.”

 

Yusei gritted his teeth as his head tilted back from the stinging hit to his cheek.  Taking a steadying breath, he spoke. “I will accept any punishment you see fit, Sire.”

 

Kaiba pursed his lips.  “That does not answer my question.  I will ask once more: why did you act so rashly?  Speak honestly, for my patience is thin.”

 

“I…” Yusei hesitated, lowering his eyes.  “I acted to protect the prince.”

 

The King snorted rather inelegantly.  “I can see that much.  But the manner you acted in was uncharacteristic.  Why?”

 

Having no alternative but to answer, the servant steeled himself and met the King’s gaze unflinchingly. “I believed that had the events played out, the Prince may lose the faith of Alba were he to be seen as an instigator of a fight.  The alliance would be in jeopardy.”

 

“Hmph.  So you thought to give those leeches some juicier meat to sink their fangs into.”  Kaiba mused to himself, smirking.   “Tell me, servant,” he continued, “What has my son said to you?”

 

“Sire?” Yusei dared to ask in a questioning tone.

 

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed further.  “I want to know what he’s said to you in regards to the union.  He has been far too… cooperative, notwithstanding the latter half of the evening.”

 

The dark-haired boy let his gaze drop to the red carpeting.  “The prince has not said a word.”

 

Kaiba glared upon the servant’s form without speaking. Yusei tensed and waited for the King to finally make his displeasure known.  After several long seconds, the King harrumphed and turned his back. “See that you keep him out of trouble. It is in your best interests to do so, after all.”

 

Was… was that it?  Yusei wondered, utterly mystified. Was the King not going to address his severe breach of his station at all?  “Sire?”

 

“You are dismissed,” King Seto said with finality, waving his hand to signal the guards to unbind the servant’s hands.  “Now, go find my son before he sets the palace on fire.”

 

Blinking bewilderedly as he rubbed circulation back into his wrists, Yusei bowed deeply before quickly extricating himself from the chamber, before the King decided to change his mind.  Leaning back against the stone walls, the manservant let out a long sigh as his migraine made itself known once again with renewed intensity.  After taking a moment to gather himself, he raced down the corridor in search of his prince, seriously hoping that Judai hadn’t followed his example and done something as horribly reckless.

 

He made a beeline back towards the banquet hall, but then wavered.  Impatient as he was to see the prince, it probably wouldn’t be wise for him to return to the scene of his crime, so to speak.  Yusei stood uncertainly in the middle of the hallway, pondering his next steps, torn between making sure his master’s worries were assuaged and lying low so not to further trouble him that evening.  He hadn’t exactly planned on being free to wander the castle after his stunt; at best, he had thought he would be spending the night in the dungeons at the very least.

 

After weighing his options, Yusei decided the most logical course of action was to await his prince in his chambers.  He might as well get started on tidying the mess of strewn clothing that had been a consequence of the struggle to get the prince presentable for the banquet, and perhaps draw the prince a hot bath...

 

 

\-----

 

Ricocheting like an arrow from a bow, he’d managed to narrowly dodge the many maids with their platefuls of assorted delicacies and perhaps a handful of wandering drunkards. All this, to ensure his manservant would at least remain in one piece by the time he’d reached his father’s study.

 

Chestnut eyes flaring in determination, the adolescent prince managed to launch himself toward the desired door before bursting through.

 

“Yusei!”

 

But Yusei was nowhere to be seen.  Instead, Seto Kaiba’s steely blue eyes briefly glanced at him disinterestedly before returning to the scrolls laid out on the thick mahogany desk.  The king made a displeased noise at the interruption and continued to write.  “If you’re looking for that servant, you’re too late.”

 

Judai looked around the room in thinly veiled panic, “Where’s Yusei?” He snapped, eyes flaring as panic began to dissolve into rage. “What did you do!?”

  
  


“What did I do?” the King mused absently, tapping his gold-tipped quill against the parchment.  “If you paid any attention to your lessons, you should probably have gotten the vague idea that what that boy did tonight was enormously foolish.  No doubt that insipid Manjoume boy will be braying for his blood.”

 

The prince’s soft features contorted into a foreign rage, hands slamming upon the polished, wooden surface of his father’s deck with a deafening thud.

 

“Answer the question!”

 

Kaiba snorted ungracefully.  “I didn’t do anything he wasn’t asking for,” he commented in dry, sarcastic tones.  “And it is time you’ve stopped clinging to that... servant.  It’s unsightly for a prince of your status to associate with commoners.  Rather than spending all your time running around with riffraff, you should be learning to govern and cultivate alliances.”

 

“Me learning how to become king has nothing to do with him!” The brunet hissed in his own defense, “Besides, you should’ve been thanking him. If he didn’t grab that guy when he had to I would’ve been toast! I don’t think you’d want me showing up black and blue on my own wedding day.”

 

The prince maintained his own threatening expression, matching his father for every ounce of defiance, “This wedding is off!”

 

The King stilled, and for the first time that day, the young prince held his undivided attention.  “What was that?” Kaiba asked in calm, almost pleasant tones which were belied by a loud snap as the tip of his quill broke off against the desk.  “I must not have heard you properly, Prince Judai.”  

 

“You heard me!” Judai exclaimed, seemingly unphased by the monarch’s masked sense of ire, “I’m not getting married. I don’t need her help. Besides, I have Yusei, can’t I make him my chief advisor or something?”

 

“How long,” the King wondered rhetorically, “do you think it took for these negotiations to be drafted?” With a clatter of his chair, Kaiba stood to his full height, which by far dwarfed the prince’s.  His expression sour, he regarded his son with a cool, unreadable gaze.  “The fact that you’re in here spouting this nonsense at me is a clear sign as to exactly how much help you do need.  I’m beginning to wonder if this is the influence of that servant, feeding you with these ideas.  Perhaps I was too lenient with his punishment.”

 

A growl arose from the younger male’s lips, his own narrowing eyes, filled to the brim with determination contrasting boldly against his father’s own. “I told you, he has nothing to do with this. He’s the only reason I came to that dumb banquet anyway!”

 

The King breathed in deeply and if he had been a lesser man, he might have been praying for patience.  Instead, he levelled his coldest glare at the furious young princeling and said with heavy finality, “Tomorrow morning, you will wed the Lady Asuka.  And should you make a fuss or cause another scene like tonight’s, I’ll have that servant of yours publicly flayed.  Are we clear?”

 

Fiery, russet eyes flinched, widening as though the threat had pierced his chest as one would expect the edge of a blade. The hands which remained splayed over his father’s desk clenched as he bit down on the flesh of his own reddening lips in his dismay.

 

“…Crystal.”

 

The King’s brow knitted and for a long moment he said nothing as he watched his son who had, to his continued headaches, somehow turned out to be his opposite in every which way.  Finally, he softened, as much as a man comprised entirely of knife-sharp edges could. “One day, you’ll thank me,” he said.  “You’re dismissed.”

 

Judai simply gritted his teeth. He’d never been one to bite back his tongue, and given the current situation he was quite surprised with even himself that he’d managed to hold out for so long. However, the subject of his most trusted, and loyal companion wasn’t something he gambled on.

 

Besides… as far as Judai was concerned, he had a far different plan in mind.

 

Shaking his head, the prince turned toward the door, firming his previous resolve. The king was perhaps the least of his problems. The only issues he need concern himself with were the ones regarding his lack of manservant. A manservant of whom may or may not require his aid.

 

Without a single word, Judai crossed the threshold of the entrance, lacking the civility to even shut the door in his wake.

 

* * *

 

 

Yusei sighed softly as he finally finished straightening the battlefield that Prince Judai’s room had become in the aftermath of the two of them trying to get him ready for the banquet.  Brushing back his dark bangs with the back of his hand, Yusei leaned back against the closet.  The repetitive motions of folding linens gave him some time to sort out some of the tumultuous thoughts that were rolling around in his head.  

 

The banquet had been… a disaster to say the least.  But at least they managed to avoid an international incident.  Now all that’s left was to get through the rest of the night and tomorrow…

 

He really didn’t want to think about tomorrow.

 

It wasn’t much longer before the young prince made his debut, throwing open the double doors of his bedroom in a panicked rush. He wasn’t sure what it was he expected to find; terrifying images of Yusei beaten bloody taunted his mind, each time encouraging his steps to hasten just a little more. But it was a much better thought than the possibility that he would find nothing at all.

 

Instead, he was surprised to find the other gazing at him from across the room, with no trace of physical harm as proof of the horrors his mind had concocted. He immediately felt his shoulders slump, still panting from his strenuous workout.

 

“What happened?” the prince blinked.

 

Yusei blinked in confusion at seeing the object of his musings rush into the chamber.  “Prince Judai…?” he said questioningly, upon noticing his laboured breathing.  “Is… is everything alright, Sire?”.  Unconsciously, he kept half of his face turned just ever-so-slightly away so that his bruise faded into the shadows of the candlelit room… just in case it caused any undue worry, especially considering what had occurred in the hall earlier that night.

 

Judai blinked once again, dithering as he watched the shadows of the faint candlelight flicker across his skin. The question made him frown; was he alright? He was the one who had been racing down endless corridors hoping to ask the same. He straightened, recovering his breath.

 

“What did they do?”

 

“Nothing, really,” Yusei replied, in a soft reassuring voice. “His Majesty just wished to speak to me. And...” Here he trailed off, averting his clouded gaze to the marble floors, feeling a lump rise up into his throat.  “I deeply apologize for overstepping my role and causing a scene at your engagement ceremony. I hope… I hope you will continue to allow me to serve you.”

 

The prince was troubled to say the least. His servant’s apology was unwelcome at best, even stirring something acidic in his stomach that induced a sudden sense of nausea. Sire the word gripped him like an angry rash, and he felt the edges of his nails sink into the skin of his palms. Quickly, his relief gave way to mild irritation.

 

“Jeez, I thought I told you to stop being so formal.” He stepped closer to the other, frowning as he watched the servant’s gaze become opaque in the flickering light. “Besides, being my friend isn’t your job.”

 

“I… I apologize,” Yusei repeated, looking lost and forlorn with the shadows flickering across his face.  His friend.  As a servant, he couldn’t have been more unworthy of such a status.  But his traitorous heart had even dared to…

 

Yusei clamped down on that thought as well and quickly smoothed his features into a gentle smile that was only reserved for Judai’s eyes.  “I will endeavor to remember that, Prince Judai. ”

 

He relented somewhat as he saw a smile reach his companion’s eyes, the clouds behind them clearing as they rose from the floor to meet his own. He knew that smile—it was difficult to forget. Yusei, being the relatively serious figure that he was rarely smiled. And when he did it was often to be polite. But sometimes, when they were alone, it was a smile meant for friends. The prince relaxed, a small smile of his own tugging at his lips.

 

“You’d better.” he shot back with a toothy grin, “Or I might have to punish you with a day off.”

 

That startled out a quiet laugh from the ever so stoic manservant.  “How terrible,” he said in a deadpan, but his eyes were sparkling with mirth.  “I cannot possibly imagine a fate worse than that.”

 

The prince laughed, feeling the weight of the evening’s events immediately dissipate. “Then I guess you’d better fix that attitude of yours and lighten up a little.” He shot back playfully, challenging the other’s sarcasm with a cheeky smirk of his own.

 

Yusei watched his smiling face with fond, wistful eyes and drank in the sight, hoping to forever engrave this moment into his heart.  Because, come tomorrow, whether they were ready, or whether they liked it or not, change was upon them.  With Judai wedded, the Lady Asuka would most likely move into his chambers and then it would be entirely inappropriate for a manservant such as himself to attend the royal couple.  Yusei swallowed down a frown and ignored the sudden stinging sensation in his chest.  He would make the most of this last night.  “I will do my best to ‘lighten up’,” he bantered back, clinging onto the normalcy of the moment.  “Shall I draw you a bath, Prince Judai?”

 

The prince took a moment to look down at himself. He was drenched in sweat from the day, no doubt looking a mess as his attire had shifted awkwardly around his body. He looked ruffled at best, and a bath in all honestly wasn’t the worst idea of the evening.

 

He nodded, quickly making work of his itchy vest. “I guess It couldn’t hurt.”

 

Yusei smiled gently at him and stepped forward to help relieve him of his tunic.  “It’ll probably help you relax.  You’ve had a long day, after all.”

 

Allowing the other to assist in the removal of his garments, he could find no reason to argue against the other’s indubitable reasoning. After all, he thought on a more serious note as he felt his eyes grow momentarily heavy, he would need it if he were to execute his plan successfully.

 

He let his gaze shift toward the single mosaic glass window above his bed. They had talked of running frequently. Or, Judai had most of the time. Yusei would either convince him to see reason or simply let him rant on what probably seemed like only dream in the eyes of a servant. But he was determined to make that dream real—and if there were any time to do it, it was before his fate was sealed by the covenant of marriage.

 

He threw a glance back at the male behind him and he felt a pang of guilt. Part of him knew he should tell the other, convince him to come with. But the other half was smart enough to know his manservant would likely hear none of it. So he simply remained silent, enjoying for the time being the presence of his best friend.

 

* * *

 

  
  


That night, Yusei could not sleep.  He sighed loudly to himself, rolling over on his threadbare mattress, trying to to find a slightly more comfortable spot.  Everything was weighing heavily on his mind; the engagement, Judai’s unhappiness, his own feelings… His mind was a whirlwind of turmoil and confusion.  

 

Realizing that he likely wasn’t going to get a visit from Thanatos that night, Yusei pushed himself off of his cot and quietly slipped on his boots, thinking to himself that a walk might do some good in clearing his head.  

 

Unfortunately, the chilly, evening air only succeeded in making him shiver as he realized he had neglected to pull on a jacket.  Also, unhelpfully, his feet appeared to have led him to his prince’s tower, having traced these steps so often that he could probably make his way there blindfolded.  He stood at the base of the tower and stared up into its darkened depths with something akin to longing, inwardly amused at how much he resembled a lovelorn protagonist in a play.  

 

Perhaps… perhaps he could pay his prince a visit, for what may very well be one last time.  And maybe, just this once, selfishly, Yusei could voice to his sleeping form what he had never dared to voice. Could never voice.  (And with the prince being such a heavy sleeper, he would be none the wiser.)  With that thought in his head and his judgement most likely impaired by both insomnia and heartache, Yusei quietly climbed the steps.  

 

Judai, however, optimistically speaking, would be long gone by the time his manservent would reach the top.

 

He gripped the strap of his bag, hoisting it over his shoulders as he pushed open the glass window. He hadn’t packed much, only the food items he’d managed to snag from the cafeteria earlier that night and a few personal belongings. The less he brought, the less he had to carry with him the royal name after all.

 

Swinging a leg over the stone ledge, he leaned against the arch way as he focused on the vast depth between himself and the cold hard ground. It wouldn’t be an easy feat, but he knew from various misadventures that the vines which clung to each crevice of the castle’s stone aged walls would support his weight until he reached the bottom. And the midnight’s summer breeze which elicited an unwanted sense of nostalgia was light enough to expect minimal difficulty.

 

Still, he hesitated as he felt a strange force ground him to the ledge where he sat. For a moment, the memories he’d made began to flash before his eyes—Yusei, the maids, even his father were all there, and he fought back against their pull as he swung the other leg over in preparation to make his escape.

 

I’m sorry, everyone.

 

Whatever Yusei could have expected at the top of those stairs, seeing Judai awake (and dressed) and halfway off the window ledge was certainly not one of them. And the look on his face and the travel pack slung over his shoulders seemed to hint at something more significant than a midnight stroll.

 

"Judai?!" He exclaimed without thinking, far too shaken to realize he had completely neglected to include proper titles.

 

The male in question froze, still holding onto the sides of the arch as he peered back behind his shoulder. He blinked for a moment, the call of his name shaking the prince from his paralyzed stupor as a surge of panic quickly set in. He didn’t need to question the likelihood that if he climbed, Yusei would definitely follow. Fortunately for the prince, he had always been quicker to act than to think.

 

The prince perched himself on the ledge, swiftly leaning forward in order to grasp the first vine that brushed against his fingertips. It was thin, fragile enough to break with a mere tug, but it failed to factor into his equation he felt the other quickly approaching from behind.

 

Yusei watched, horrified, as his prince just about leapt from the windowsill with nary a thought to its distance to the ground.  "Judai, wait!" He shouted desperately, hurrying to the window and climbing onto the ledge with his heart in his throat. As if in slow motion, he watched in dismay as the vine broke apart beneath the other boy’s fingers.  Without thinking, he lunged forwards, hand outstretched.

 

“Judai!”

 

Somehow in the midst of a chaotic hurdle toward the earth below them, Yusei managed to grab onto the prince as the pair fell toward their doom. Wind ripped through them, fighting back against the force of gravity as it jerked them toward what would appear to be imminent death if either could find the resistance to open their eyes. Instead, their bodies tangled up in one another’s, clutching onto their only hope of survival.

 

It wasn’t long before they met the ground—a sickening crack echoing through their ears as they were immersed within a numbing darkness.

  
  


  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Co-written with the lovely JadenEffinFudo and cross posted to FFNet and Tumblr.


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